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Serious Crime Bill [HL]

I reassure my noble and learned friend that we shall come back to it shortly. I hope that we are able to deploy the arguments more fully in Amendment No. 48. I find it difficult that we must leave the schedule to the vagaries of an order-making process. To have these new serious crime prevention orders is a serious step. My noble and learned friend Lord Mayhew referred to the need for flexibility on some occasions. He is right. The Government argue for flexibility throughout, but the Government’s flexibility tends to be a straitjacket for everybody else in how they can or cannot behave. We shall need to look at this more closely, particularly when we have had an opportunity to look at the Government’s justification for what is in the schedule when we get to Amendment No. 48. Forthe moment, however, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 4 agreed to. Schedule 1 [Serious offences]: